Ahrefs Podcast

Jeremy Boissinot, founder of Favikon, sheds light on the alarming rise of fake influencers, particularly on LinkedIn, where inflated follower counts and AI-generated engagement muddy the waters. He discusses how to spot authenticity through Favikon's rigorous analysis of creator metrics, emphasizing that trust is now the new currency. The duo delves into why 95% of influencer campaigns fail, often due to poor advertiser choices, and intriguingly highlights Reddit as the next big B2B marketing frontier. Tune in for must-know insights on influencer marketing!

Patrick Stox, a seasoned expert in technical SEO and search optimization, shares valuable insights on the dynamics between AI chatbots and search engines. He explains how AI bots can render JavaScript and the importance of both consensus and unique content for citations. Patrick dives into the workings of large language models, emphasizes the significance of plain language, and advocates for leveraging YouTube as a more effective channel than AI for brand visibility. He concludes that AEO is fundamentally good marketing integrated with holistic strategies.

Ryan Law, Director of Content Marketing at Ahrefs, shares invaluable insights on the rapidly evolving landscape of AI search. He discusses the importance of data-driven strategies for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and the shift towards off-page SEO, emphasizing the role of brand mentions in AI visibility. Ryan outlines techniques for optimizing content that appeals to both AI and human readers, including avoiding common pitfalls like heavy JavaScript. He also highlights untapped data sources and provides a warning against spammy content practices.

Join Melissa Laurie, Founder and CEO of Oysterly Media, as she dives into the transformative power of Employee-Generated Content (EGC) for brands. She highlights how authenticity in employee-created videos is becoming essential for marketing. Melissa reveals the ‘Triple A Effect’ of EGC—attracting talent, retaining engaged staff, and boosting sales. Find out why Gen Z needs guidance on creating content, effective video structuring, and real-world success stories from Hilton and Microsoft, making EGC the future of branding.

Kevin Indig, a growth advisor who has helped major companies like Reddit and Shopify, discusses how AI is reshaping SEO and search behavior. He reveals a decline in time spent on searches due to the rise of zero-click searches, while emphasizing that SEO is not dead—it's evolving. Kevin highlights the importance of adapting content strategies for AI-driven environments and stresses the necessity of external validation for rankings. He also explores innovative methods for brands to maintain visibility in an increasingly AI-centric landscape.

Emily Kramer, founder of MKT1 and host of the Dear Marketers podcast, shares her wealth of experience in startup marketing. She discusses how AI will reshape marketing strategies while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human connection. Emily introduces her Fuel and Engine Framework, explaining how to identify and fix broken marketing strategies. She also debates the evolving roles of product vs. content marketing and highlights the emerging trend of founders as influencers, urging a fresh approach to brand building.

Ryan Law, Director of Content Marketing at Ahrefs, shares insights on a systematic workflow that merges AI with human editorial oversight for creating high-ranking blog content. He explains the importance of crafting detailed briefs and outlines while ensuring quality through rigorous human review. Ryan discusses integrating AI tools for effective content generation and the balance between automation and oversight. The conversation highlights how this approach produces content nearly indistinguishable from human writing, making AI a powerful ally in content strategy.

Mark Schaefer, a marketing futurist and author of 'Audacious,' shares insights on why boring marketing is the real threat in an AI-dominated world. He emphasizes the importance of being bold and human in content creation, using concepts like the handicap principle to show how authenticity resonates more than perfection. Schaefer also highlights extraordinary examples, like a $1,500 pig as a marketing tool, and discusses how brands like Liquid Death have changed the game by prioritizing memorable experiences over traditional selling. This conversation is a push for marketers to think audaciously.

Chris Cunningham, founding member of ClickUp, reveals the social media strategy that drives a staggering 150M monthly impressions. This is *the* exact strategy that's also attracted major clients like VaynerMedia (yes, GaryVee literally found them through social media).Grab your notes. 📝 Chris shares his contrarian take on hooks and pattern interrupts, explains why hiring LA actors is a no-brainer for your social content, and walks us through his secret Trial Reels technique that consistently multiplies video performance.In this episode: (00:00) The Power of Humor in B2B Marketing(00:57) Measuring ROI in Social Media Strategies(05:10) How Much Does It Cost to Create This Type of Content? (07:32) Finding and Hiring Talent for Content Creation(12:57) Integrating Humor with Project Management Software(17:25) The Creative Process: From Ideas to Execution(18:40) Using Trial Reels to Test Impact(21:08) Brainstorming Creative Ideas(24:02) Balancing Fun and Product Promotion(29:17) Breaking Marketing Norms(33:30) The ABCD Framework for Content Creation(38:33) Pattern Interrupt Techniques in Content(43:18) Psychological Hacks for Converting Followers(46:24) Building a Personal Brand Vs a Company Brand(50:39) Types of Content for Brand Accounts(53:44) Defining the ClickUp Brand(57:10) The $15K ClickUp Album(01:02:01) Influencer Marketing Strategies(01:04:50) The Super Bowl Ad Experience(01:07:35) AI in Marketing: A Critical Perspective(01:11:54) OutroWe hope you enjoyed this episode of Ahrefs Podcast! As always, be sure to like and subscribe (and tell a friend). ⸻Where to find Chris:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisclickup/X: @ChrisClickUpWebsite: https://clickup.com/Where to find Tim:LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsoulo/)X: @timsouloWebsite: https://www.timsoulo.com/⸻Referenced in this episode: 👤 PeopleGary Vaynerchuk (GaryVee): https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyvaynerchuk/Kyle Coleman (ClickUp CMO): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecoleman/Adam Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsrobinson/Gaurav Agarwal (ClickUp COO): https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaurav-agarwal-8278271/Zeb Evans (ClickUp Founder/CEO): https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeb-evans/Seth Godin: https://www.sethgodin.com/Mr. Beast:  ⁨@MrBeast⁩  Clever (Artist): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clever_(rapper)⸻🏢 Companies & BrandsVaynerMedia: https://vaynerx.com/Adweek (Adworld): https://www.adweek.com/Groundlings: https://www.groundlings.com/Copy AI: https://www.copy.ai/Clari: https://www.clari.com/BuzzFeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/Halligan Cinema: https://halligancinema.com/HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/Asana: https://asana.com/Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jiraWendy’s: https://www.wendys.com/Apple: https://www.apple.com/Windows (Microsoft): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsMorning Brew: https://www.morningbrew.com/⸻🛠️ Tools / PlatformsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/Spotify: https://www.spotify.com/Apple Music: https://www.apple.com/apple-music/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Claude (Anthropic AI): https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-3-familyChatGPT (OpenAI): https://chat.openai.com/Clay (Lead gen / enrichment): https://www.clay.com/

Eric Siu, founder of Single Grain and host of the Leveling Up podcast, dives into how AI is reshaping marketing strategies. He reveals how his agency produces 21 blog posts in just 30 minutes, highlighting the efficiency gained without sacrificing quality. The conversation tackles the critical role human editors play and discusses the balance of AI and human creativity. Siu also explores gamifying marketing processes and shares insights on targeted advertising strategies for platforms like LinkedIn, illustrating the future of marketing in an AI-driven world.